UCA professor and exercise and sports science director Dr. Mike Gallagher and his students performed metabolic testing in the UCA Human Performance Lab for competitive athletes in the community.
“Metabolic testing, commonly referred to as VO2 max testing, is where athletes come in and we put them through incremental exercise protocol,” says Gallagher. “We go from a very low intensity in duration, usually two to three minutes, and then increase the intensity.”
The test, which lasts from 12 to 20 minutes, is a grueling slog, with participants often left wiped out and ragged.
By the end, Gallagher will be able to suss out such data as the athlete’s VO2 max, anaerobic threshold and how he utilizes fats and carbohydrates. All of this data can be applied by the athlete or a coach to construct a detailed training regimen.
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